This study examined some differences between continuing and non-continuing special admission students in areas of academic advising in ways that are more systematic and thorough than past research. The premise of the study is that having a clearer understanding of how academic advising affects retention might provide colleges and universities with information to optimize the collegiate experience for special admission students. Therefore, research on the effect academic advising has on special admission student retention might offer insight into how the interactions between student and advisor affect retention issues. A non-experimental descriptive research design was employed to investigate the differences between the independent variables (advising style, frequency of contact, gender match, and race or ethnicity match) and the dependent variable, student retention. There were three sources of data used in this study. First, data were collected from students through the use of the Academic Advising Inventory (AAI) and External Factors of Retention Survey (EFRS) using online survey software. Second, data were collected from existing databases provided by an urban higher education institution. Finally, brief phone surveys were conducted with non-continuing students. Due to low survey response, no statistical analysis for significance was reported in this study. However, patterns observed from the AAI/EFRS and the phone surveys provided the following results. First, continuing special admission students had more advisor contact than non-continuing students. Second, despite continuing students’ higher average scores on the Developmental-Prescriptive Advising Scale (measure for advising style) of the AAI, the higher perceived advising style scores did not suggest a higher frequency of student-advisor contact in the first semester. Third, perceived advising style may have influenced frequency of student-advisor contact among non-continuing students. Fourth, continuing students had a decrease in frequency of student-advisor contact in consecutive semesters. Fifth, the perception of students that their race or ethnicity are respected by their advisor may matter more than a race or ethnicity match. Sixth, gender match was not related to frequency of student-advisor contact for continuing students. Seventh, clearly stating the objectives of a research study and how participation serves the objectives may aid in the recruitment of difficult to reach populations. Eighth, institutional efforts to reach out to these students could influence the students’ decision to continue enrollment.

The teacher-student relationship is multidimensional and fluid. This is especially true for students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Educational leaders in the public school setting cannot control which students enroll at their school sites. The only thing teachers, as educational leaders in K-12 public education, have complete control over is the environment they create in their classrooms. Among those student groups most reflecting few gains on state and federal reports of proficiency data are students who typically come from backgrounds besieged with challenges or from historically underserved and marginalized communities. In this transcendental phenomenological study, the phenomenon investigated was how secondary teachers described their experiences in building relationships with students identified as at promise. A secondary public school setting was the focus of this study. The intent of this study was to understand the essence of the lived experiences of teachers as they described their experiences in building relationships with at-promise youth. Teachers must leverage themselves in the quest to form positive and strong relationships with their students. In shifting the adverse narrative about the political identity used to categorize these students, the antipathetic mindset related to these students in public schools too shall shift. Research has demonstrated that at-promise students respond best in school settings that provide a culture where teachers intentionally construct a caring interaction laden with respect and recognition. It is important to foster agency in at-promise students through the understanding of the social, political, and economic structures that served to impact their generational past, inform their present, and prepare their future. This research study focused on the complex dynamic of the teacher-student relationship. This research investigation connected the important role teachers play in the lives of their students, teacher mindset about at-promise student success, and how strong and positive teacher-student relationships have the potential to encourage agency in at-promise students through meaningful recognition of their promise for academic success over their presupposed risks. This study’s findings highlight the critical need for teachers to create intentional opportunities to foster strong teacher-student relationships with at-promise students.

Urban high schools that predominantly service at-risk students have not been faring well, with disproportionate numbers of minority children and poor White children are dropping out. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the relationship between leaders' successes and the number of reduced dropout initiatives in 2 urban schools. This research was guided by empirical literature that included a review of various successful leadership practices. Case study interviews were conducted with 2 principals and 3 directors and were analyzed for common themes. Quantitative survey data were collected from a purposeful sample of 195 students and 7 administrative leaders in these schools; these quantitative data were then analyzed via descriptive statistics. Findings from the interviews indicated that multiple styles of leadership (e.g., distributive, transformational) are recommended as critical in these complex environments. Findings from the quantitative surveys indicated that students appreciated the role of management and the need for increased engagement in school. Administrators indicated a need for upper management support. This study contributes to social and organizational change by providing stakeholders with a better understanding of how management indirectly influences reduced dropout of at-risk youth. Future studies should include parent voices as they relate to high school dropout and connectedness to schools.

In a suburban alternative school, educators of at-risk students reading below grade level often struggled to provide effective reading instruction. As a result, these students were likely to continue to experience academic difficulties, which could limit their career options and their opportunities to contribute to the betterment of society. This study addressed the gap between reading strategies teachers actually used in the classroom and the reading strategies they learned during professional development. The research questions focused on the instructional challenges teachers experienced while working with struggling readers in an alternative school setting. Mastery learning theory and the adult adragogical theory were used in this case study to explore experiences of 6 teachers concerning the use of reading strategies in an alternative middle school setting. Data were collected with interviews, observations, and from archival work samples. Findings revealed that for teachers serving in an alternative school setting, there was a need for additional strategy-related support for struggling readers, collaborative professional development with a focus on literacy, and teacher acquisition of vocabulary and comprehension strategies. The resulted project consists of a data-driven professional development program designed to help instructors teach reading strategies to assist struggling student readers. This project contributes to positive social change through a targeted implementation of instructional literacy practices that teachers in all content areas can use to help struggling readers in an alternative school settings to experience greater academic success.

Le phénomène du décrochage scolaire est encore très présent dans notre société, particulièrement chez les garçons. Notre mémoire s’intéresse à la question et vise à mieux comprendre la dynamique motivationnelle d’un échantillon (N=11) d’élèves masculins considéré comme étant « à risque » de décrochage au 3e cycle d’une école primaire de Montréal. De plus, notre expérimentation vise spécifiquement à décrire l’influence de l’utilisation d’une activité pédagogique dite « motivante » : le jeu éducatif numérique « Math en Jeu » sur la dynamique motivationnelle à apprendre en mathématiques. Il s’agit d’une étude de cas avec une approche mixte de collecte de données. Nos résultats révèlent quatre profils de dynamique motivationnelle chez les élèves de notre échantillon : 1) les élèves en difficulté en mathématiques, 2) les élèves démotivés et 3) les élèves démotivés et en difficulté en mathématiques, puis, 4) des cas plus complexes. Notre analyse montre que « Math en Jeu » suscite un grand intérêt chez tous les élèves de notre échantillon. L’influence du jeu sur la dynamique motivationnelle semble toutefois mieux convenir aux élèves avec des dynamiques motivationnelles de type « démotivé » ou « démotivé et en difficulté en mathématiques » et dans une certaine mesure, certains élèves catégorisés comme étant des « cas complexes ». Nos résultats indiquent que le jeu pourrait notamment avoir une certaine influence sur le sentiment de compétence à réussir de l’élève. Toutefois, pour être en mesure de mieux décrire et analyser ces influences, il serait préférable de mener des recherches sur une plus longue durée, dans un contexte naturel de classe et sur un échantillon d’élèves plus grand. / The phenomena of school dropouts remains an area of grave concern in North American society, and one that is particularly present among boys. Our research aims to better understand the motivational dynamics of elementary school boys considered “atrisk” (Student Subjects = 11). Our research, both theoretical and practical, analyses the influence of an educational video game called "Math-a-Maze" on the motivational dynamics of boys at-risk, when learning mathematics. This is a case study with a mixed approach to data collection. Our sample of students represents four types of motivational dynamics : 1) Students that struggle in mathematics, 2) Students that are disengaged, 3) Students that are disengaged and that struggle in mathematics, and, 4) More complex cases. Our analysis revealed that “Math-a-Maze” generated great interest and enthusiasm among all students in our sample. The influence of this learning tool on the motivational dynamics of our subjects was more pronounced for students displaying motivational dynamics 2 and 3, "disengaged" or “disengaged and struggling in math” and some students of more complex cases. For example, our results indicate that this educational game could have a positive influence on the student’s sense of competency, and thus, their self-confidence in the subject. In order to more thoroughly explore the possible influences of this teaching method however, more in-depth research is suggested, over a longer period of time, in a natural classroom environment and with a larger sample of students at-risk.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Alternative school settings are success prospects for students at risk of school failure. However, research on the daily experiences of the special educators in alternate school settings tasked with educating the at-risk population, is limited. The purpose of this phenomenological study was (a) to recognize the perceptions of special educators concerning their preparation to advance the success of SEN students who are at risk of school failure; (b) to determine how to improve special educator preparation programs in alternative school settings. Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory, focused on student success provided the study's framework. Twelve semistructured interviews were conducted to examine special educators' perceptions on preparation and practice for student success. Data were analyzed through block coding, code comparison and thematic searches. The study's results included accounts of special educators' perceptions and challenges related to preparation and practice for student success in alternate school settings. Emergent themes included applying classroom structure and technology, as well as individualized student instruction. Participants cited a need for rich teacher/student relationships to advance student success. Included are inferences regarding the development of teacher/student relationships. Also included are suggestions for educational leaders to consider while preparing preparatory methods for special educators who teach within the alternative school setting such as administrator knowledge of what special educators require to teach in the alternate classroom. This study may lead to social change by providing information on special educator preparation coursework meant to develop student success for the alternative school student population.

This phenomenological study was implemented within a rural community in the southeastern area of the United States. The purpose of the study was to examine perceptions of prior graduates in order to identify specific effects of limited technology and Internet access in public schools. No related investigation has occurred within the research setting. To achieve this purpose, the researcher acquired perceptual data from 33 adults who attended the local high school during School Years 2003-2004 through 2012-2013. Data were collected through the administration of an anonymous questionnaire. Several primary findings were derived from the study. First, although participants did not perceive limited access to technology and Internet access while in high school, the collective perception was that technology was minimally integrated within high school instruction and that the high school experience insufficiently prepared students for the role of technology within the college setting. Second, technology was not fully utilized for acquiring information involving college or career selection. Third, participants reported the lack of availability or dependability of Internet service in the rural areas. Recommendations for educational practice, based on findings of the study, are to provide professional development for all teachers within the high school to increase the integration of technology within instruction and to provide professional development for teachers and school guidance counselors for the purpose of increasing the use of technology when assisting students in acquiring college and career information. Recommendations for future research, also based on findings, are (a) to determine how participants acquired a high level of technology skill for college with the limited use of technology in high school and the minimal Internet access within homes, (b) to engage in further research to assist school guidance counselors in acquiring the skills to recognize and provide initial treatment involving the onset of Internet addiction among students, and (c) for city council members and leaders within the private sector to research possible options for acquiring more dependable Internet service within the outlying rural areas so that all residents can enjoy the potential benefits of current technology.

Des considérations théoriques suggèrent que la mobilité scolaire au secondaire peut perturber l’adaptation des adolescents et mener au décrochage scolaire, en particulier lorsqu’elle survient à certains moments inopportuns sur le plan scolaire ou développemental. Notamment, les perturbations pourraient être amplifiées lorsque la mobilité survient en cours d’année scolaire, alors que les routines pédagogiques sont campées, et lorsqu’elle survient vers la fin des parcours au secondaire, alors que les cercles sociaux sont bien établis. Ce mémoire visait à vérifier, auprès d’un échantillon d’adolescents (N = 545) âgés entre 14 et 18 ans (M = 16,5), si un éventuel lien entre la mobilité et le décrochage varierait en fonction de la temporalité de celle-ci, en en considérant: (1) le moment de l’année, c’est-à-dire si la mobilité scolaire survient pendant une année scolaire ou pendant la période estivale, et (2) le cycle scolaire, c’est-à-dire si elle survient au début ou à la fin du parcours de l’élève au secondaire (1er ou 2e cycle). Au-delà de facteurs potentiellement confondants, les résultats montrent que le nombre de changements d’écoles secondaires est associé à un plus grand risque de décrocher, avec des liens particulièrement forts pour la mobilité scolaire survenant pendant une année scolaire comparativement à celle survenant pendant l’été, et celle survenant lors du deuxième cycle du secondaire, comparativement à celle survenant au premier cycle. L’importance de la temporalité pour comprendre les impacts de la mobilité scolaire est discutée. Les retombées des résultats pour la pratique et la recherche sont également abordées. / Theoretical considerations suggest that school mobility in high school can disrupt adolescent adjustment and lead to dropping out of school, especially when it occurs at particularly challenging times academically or developmentally. Namely, disruptions could be amplified when mobility occurs during the school year, while teaching routines are set, and when it occurs towards the end of the secondary school years, when social circles are well established. The goal of this thesis was to verify, based on a sample of adolescents (N = 545) aged between 14 and 18 years old (M = 16.5), whether a possible link between mobility and dropout would indeed be moderated by its timing, by considering: (1) the time of the year, i.e., whether school mobility occurs during a school year or the summer break, and (2) the school level, i.e., whether it occurs at the beginning or at the end secondary school (1st or 2nd cycle). Beyond potentially confounding factors, the results show that high school changes are associated with a greater risk of dropping out, with particularly strong links for school mobility occurring during a school year compared to mobility occurring during the summer months, and for school mobility occurring during the second cycle of secondary school, compared to that occurring in the first cycle. The discussion underscores the importance of temporality for understanding the impacts of school mobility, both in practical and research terms.

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